When Shepard Meets Shepard
by Eli
Summary: children get along so well. Even if parents get in the way. What to do now that they have grown?
1. When Shepard Meets Shepard

Title: When Shepard Meets Shepard  
  
Author: Eli  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, but I'll take credit for it.  
  
Feedback: To your hearts content  
  
The black limo parked in front of the weaponry shop. Doors opened, and out came a tall man with white blond hair. Following was a small boy dressed entirely in black. The boy kept his head down as he followed the man into the store. "Mr. Irons, good day to you." "As to you, Roger. Where is this meeting to take place?" "In the back. The other should arrive shortly." Irons turned to the boy. "Stay here and don't get into trouble, young Nottingham." The boy nodded his head. "Yes, sir." The men then went to the back, leaving him alone in the front.  
  
He was standing in the corner of the room, legs spread and hands behind his back. He looked up to view his surroundings. The walls and shelves displayed various weapons, including: swords, sais, daggers, kamas, and other objects like such. The front door opened and his head immediately went down, but not before getting a glance of who had entered: A tall, dark haired man who was in his thirties and a little girl about six or seven, basically around his age. "Dad, where are we? When can we go home?" "Soon, baby, soon. The man looked up from his daughter. "Roger, you here?" "In the back." The man knelt so that he was at her level. "I have some business to take care of. Please just stay here and don't touch anything." The girl nodded. "Yes, Dad." "Good girl." He then got up and joined the others in the back.  
  
The girl looked around her and spotted the boy. "Hi." She called out. He answered without lifting his head. "Hello." She slowly started to walk toward him. "Are you sad?" He shook his head. "I am not sad. Why do you think I am sad?" "Because your heads down. Like you're crying." She was now right in front of him. She was an inch or two shorter than he was, so all she had to do to see his face was to look up. His honey brown eyes met her emerald green ones. "I am not crying." He replied. "I know." She said as she took a step back. She held her hand out to him. "I'm Sara. What's your name?" He finally looked up. "My name is Ian. Nice to meet you." He picked her hand up and gave it a kiss, trying to imitate what he had seen his father do. Sara quickly snapped her hand back and giggled. "Why did you do that?" Ian shrugged. "I don't know. I've seen my father do that before." "Is he the one my Dad has business with?" "I guess." Ian noticed an odd necklace around her neck. "What is that?" "A necklace I made in school today. I'm in first grade. What grade are you in?" "I am not in any grade." Sara tilted her head to the side. "How come?" "I don't go to school." "Then where do you go to play with your friends?" He looked back down. "I don't have any friends." "Oh." Sara also put her head down. "I don't have any friends either." Ian looked up. "You don't? How come?" "Because the other kids think I'm a freak." "Why?" "I don't know." She sounded like she might start to cry. Ian put his hand under her chin and lifted her head back up. "I don't think you are a freak." Her green eyes had welled up, but there were no tears. "You don't?" He shook his head. "No, I don't." She smiled at him, and that made him smile too. "Do you want to be my friend, Ian?" Her voice was full of hope. "Yes, I do. And you can be my friend." She nodded her head in agreement. "Okay." Both children were very pleased. Suddenly, Ian had a look of worry on his face. "How will we see each other again after this?" Sara became worried too. "I don't know.Oh! Wait!" Her face instantly brightened. "I can give you my phone number and we can arrange to meet someplace." His face also brightened. "Yes, we can do that. Do you have a pen?" "Yeah, it's in my pocket.somewhere." Her hand reached deep into her jean pocket and eventually pulled out a blue pen. "Here it is. Wait, I don't have anything to write on. Do you?" "I am not sure." He checked all his pockets." Here." He handed her a folded piece of paper. "What's on here?" "Look and see." Sara opened the paper to find a drawing of a black dragon. "This is beautiful." "Thank you." She wrote her phone number down in the corner, so that it wouldn't ruin the picture. "Here. You can call me when you get home." He nodded his head as he folded the paper up and put it back into his pocket. "That drawing was really good. How did you learn to do that?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Practice, I guess." "Could you draw me a picture like that?" "Yes, I could. I will draw you one at my house and give it to you next time we meet. Is that okay?" She nodded her head yes. "That would be nice." Suddenly, they both heard yelling and footsteps from the back. Sara quickly went back to her original spot and Ian returned to his normal pose. "I don't want anything to do with it, Irons!" "So be it then." The men had re-entered and Sara's dad took her by the hand and dragged her out. Ian glanced at her before she left and mouthed the words "Good-bye, Sara." She mimicked and mouthed "Good-bye, Ian," right back to him and then she was gone. Ian re-bowed his head. Soon, he too, had left and gone home.  
  
Ian sneaked from his room to the kitchen about three hours later. He checked to make sure no one was around. Clear. He picked up the phone and dialed her number. She answered the phone. "Hello?" "Sara?" "Ian." She sounded sad. "What is wrong?" "My Dad said I'm not allowed to talk to you." "Why?!" "Because he said that you're as bad as your father." "But I am not! I am not like him!" "That's what I told him, but he didn't believe me. He said that as long as I am under his roof, I can't talk to you. What are we gonna do?" "I don't think there is anything we can do." "Oh no!" Both he and Sara were in tears. "Here is what we will do." "What!?!" "We will wait till we are adults, and then we can be friends." "Till we are adults?! But that is so long!" "It is all we can do." "How will we know where each other are?" "I promise that as soon as I can, I will find you. No matter where you are on this earth, I will find you. That is a promise, okay?" "Okay." She replied grimly. "I have to go now." "Me too. Good-bye Sara. Don't forget." "I won't. Good-bye Ian," and with that, both lines went dead.  
  
-25 years later-  
  
"Magnificent, isn't it?" The man in black said. "I'm sorry, sir. This is police business and you should leave the building." His face had seemed familiar. She turned back around to get a better look, but he was gone. "Do I know him?" She thought to herself as she continued her previous engagement.  
  
-Later that day-  
  
"Man! Could this day just end already?!" Sara slammed the door to her loft. She walked into her living room collapsed onto the couch. She then realized something was in her pocket. It was a folded piece of paper. She opened it to find a picture of a black dragon. "What is this?" She said out loud. It had a message on the bottom:  
  
TO SARA,  
  
A PROMISE IS A PROMISE.  
  
A FRIEND  
  
  
  
  
  
The End 


	2. Reunited

Eli: Hi! I was pleaded for more, so here we are. I'm easily manipulated. Here's chap.2 The time has moved to the end of "Destiny" with Irons dying.  
  
  
  
Both Ian and Sara were surprised at Irons sacrifice. How willingly he stepped toward her. Ian didn't know what to feel. Relief, pain, lonely, free? He caught Irons body as he fell. All that he knew was gone. Sorrowfully, he turned to Sara. "We are enemies now, Sara." "We were never friends." Sara turned and left, but just before she closed the door behind her, she heard Ian say  
  
"Weren't we, Sara?"  
  
She slammed the door in response.  
  
-That night-  
  
Ian's words had left her confused. "Weren't we, Sara?" She repeated the words in her head over and over again. "What the hell did he mean?!" She paced her room restlessly. She was too worked up and annoyed to sleep. "This man tried to kill me and now he says we were friends!? I don't get any of this!" She felt the witchblade burn on her wrist. "What now?!" Suddenly, a piece of folded paper that was lying on her night stand caught her attention. She picked it up and opened it. It was the note she had found in her pocket the day she found the witchblade. She re-read the message under the black dragon. "A promise is a promise? What promise? I don't remember any promise." With that said, the witchblade instantly flashed before her parts of the past.  
  
She could see a little boy dressed in black standing before her. Except she was younger, a lot younger. She could only hear part of their conversation.  
  
"Do you want to be my friend, Ian?"  
  
"Yes, I do. And you can be my friend."  
  
"Can you draw me a dragon like that?"  
  
"Yes, I could. I will draw you one at my house and then give it to you next time we meet. Is that okay?"  
  
The vision changed to a talk with her father in the car.  
  
"I made a friend today!" Sara said cheerfully to her Dad. "That's great, honey. What's her name?" "It's a boy, Dad. His name is Ian." "That's cute. So what does your little boyfriend look like?" "He's not my boyfriend and you know what he looks like." "I do?" "Yeah, he was at that shop today. I think you had your business with his Dad." James Pezzini looked at his daughter. "The little kid in black is your friend?" She nodded. "Uh huh." "Um...Sara, listen to me. This boy." "Ian." "Ian. His father is a very bad man. He hurts people, and Ian is going to grow up to be just like him. And I don't want you around bad people." "I know you don't, but you don't have to worry. Ian is a good person. He didn't try to hurt me and I know he won't grow up to be like his dad. He's different, like me." "Your special, Sara, not different. He may be good now, but he won't be when he grows up. Even now, he's probably as bad as his father. So. I forbid you to. be his friend." "But." Sara's dad began to lose his temper. "No buts! As long as you are under my roof, you can not play with him, you can not talk to him, and you can not be his friend! Understood?" "Yes, Dad." Sara was in tears. "Hey." He put his arm around her. "You'll have other friends. Trust me on this."  
  
The vision faded in to another one of her at home talking on the phone.  
  
"My Dad said I'm not allowed to talk to you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because he said you're as bad as your dad is."  
  
"But I am not! I am not like him!"  
  
"How will we know where each other are?"  
  
"I promise that as soon as I can, I will find you. No matter where you are on this earth, I will find you. That is a promise, okay?"  
  
"Okay, I have to go now."  
  
"Me too. Good-bye, Sara, don't forget."  
  
"I won't. Good-bye, Ian."  
  
The visions totally blacked out. Then she could see Ian, as he was then, stepping out of the darkness. He spoke to her.  
  
"Did you forget me, Sara?"  
  
She didn't answer. "Sara? Sara? Sara?" He repeated her name over and over again. Each time he faded away and his voice became lower. Sara felt like someone was shaking her. Finally, she opened her eyes. Ian stood before her and was relieved to see her respond.  
  
"Sara, are you okay? What did the witchblade show you?"  
  
"It showed me you." Sara held up the picture. "That little boy, that was you?"  
  
He nodded. "Yes, Sara, it was me. I kept my promise."  
  
"Yes, you did. But...why now?"  
  
He remained silent. Sara asked again.  
  
"Why now?"  
  
He shook his head and then turned to leave. Sara grabbed him by the arm.  
  
"No. We have to talk." 


	3. history of the search

Eli: Response, I love it. You guys are walking all over me. Here's chap 3.  
  
  
  
Sara pulled Ian into the living room and had him sit on the couch. Sara took the chair opposite to him and sat down. "Now, I have a couple of questions for you. Are you gonna answer?" "I will answer all that should be for the moment." "No! I want straight answers. Are you going to answer me?" "Yes."  
  
"All right. First off, why did it take you twenty-five years to find me?"  
  
"It didn't. I have known of your whereabouts since I was nineteen."  
  
"How old are you now?"  
  
"Thirty-two."  
  
"Okay, if you have known where I have been for thirteen years, why did it take you so long to contact me?"  
  
"Your Father wasn't the only one objecting to our friendship. I was forbidden to contact you by my Father."  
  
"How did Irons know about me?" Ian just put his head down and remained silent. Sara felt sympathy for him. She reached over and took his hand in hers. The witchblade again came alive and began to show them both visions.  
  
They could see young Ian hang up the phone with Sara. He carefully folded the paper with her phone number on it and put it in to his pocket. He heard something behind him and turned to be face to face with a kneeling Irons. "Who were you conversing with, young Nottingham?"  
  
"Sara, sir. She is my friend." Irons shook his head and made a clicking sound with his tongue. "No such thing is to ever take place. Do you know who Sara is to become, young Nottingham?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"She is to be the next wielder, my wielder. You are but a servant, someone below her. Someone she would never have as a friend." Ian raised his voice in protest.  
  
"But she already has!" Irons back-fisted him across the face. "Silence! I will have obedience. I forbid you to make any contact with the wielder until she finds the blade. Even then, you are not to do anything without being under orders, and you most certainly can not be friends. Is that understood?!"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
That vision turned into another.  
  
Ian was before Irons, looking older and more like a servant. "Ian, how do you spend your day?"  
  
"I study and I train, sir."  
  
"To do what?"  
  
"To protect you and the wielder, sir."  
  
"Does obedience come along with protection?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Then why have you purposely disobeyed my orders?" Ian shifted nervously. "You didn't think I would find out? I know everything, Ian, and I know you were planning on contacting the wielder!" He walked behind Ian and pulled his head back. "Is this not true?"  
  
"No, sir. It is true." Irons forced Ian to his knees. "You are my creation, Ian, and you will do as you're told!" He then tore Ian's shirt from him. "For every crime, there is a punishment. Do you accept your punishment?" Ian was silent. Irons pulled his head back again. "Do you accept your punishment, Ian?"  
  
"Yes, sir," he stammered out. Irons held up a cat-of-nine-tails and began to whip Ian's back with it. After ten or twelve strokes, Ian cried out. Irons just began to whip him even harder. "Show no weakness." After another fifteen strokes or so, Irons stopped. Ian was now kneeling in a pool of his own blood. Irons picked up his phone and called up Dr. Immo. "Doctor, could you please come to the library? Young Nottingham has done something foolish, again." He hung up the phone and walked out the door, but just before he left he went right behind Ian and whispered "She is mine, Ian, mine." Then he was gone.  
  
Sara and Ian returned to reality. Ian let go of Sara's hand and leaned back on the couch.  
  
"Please tell me that didn't really happen to you." He sat silently, what could he say? "Oh, God!" She put her face into her hands and closed her eyes. "All that happened because of me."  
  
"No, it's my fault; I shouldn't have tried to find you unless I was sure he wouldn't know about it."  
  
Sara looked up at him. He was leaning forward and, for once, was looking her in the eyes. "Anything that has happened to me, I brought it on myself. You have caused me no pain. In fact, you brought me hope. Hope to a scared, lonely, little boy walking along the line of darkness who could remember that somewhere in the world someone wanted to be his friend. So don't blame yourself for anything that was administered to me, okay?"  
  
Sara nodded. "What happened to you after that?"  
  
"He sent me off to Japan that same night. I stayed there for four years, after that he sent me to the army for three years. Finally, I returned to him and have been training to protect him, and you, ever since."  
  
"So, why have you come now?"  
  
"Because all that has been forbidden was released tonight." Ian broke eye contact.  
  
"I'm sorry for your lost, if it really is a lost to you. Oh, I didn't mean that, of course it's a lost. I just.. I didn't kill him. We both saw him walk towards me. I was just threatening him, I didn't mean for him to die, and" "You don't have to say anything, Sara. I know it's not your fault. It was his life to take." He got up. "I should go now."  
  
"Wait! I still have one more question for you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do you still want to be friends?"  
  
  
  
( To be continued, and I promise the answer wont be what you would expect it to;) 


	4. Moment of truth

Eli: I was so tempted to wait a couple of weeks before putting this out, just to see you all in agony. But that conscience of mine got to me. Plus, I just had Chinese food. So, here's chap 4. And see if you can figure out what book I've been reading.  
  
Ian turned and looked at Sara. "I would say yes, but things have now gotten more complicated. And I would be lying if I said I wanted your friendship."  
  
At this point, Sara completely lost control of her temper.  
  
"What?! You come to my apartment to remind me of your promise and now your telling me you don't even want to be friends?!"  
  
Ian tried once again to leave. "Don't you even try to leave! You think you were the only affected by that day? I wasn't lying when I said I didn't have any friends. You never had the chance to, I did. Do you have any idea what it is like for a six year old girl to be torn from her first and only friend? To be put among peers and be considered an outcast? Do you know what it's like to be a little kid and to be called things like freak?"  
  
"Yes." He sullenly replied, remembering all too well his own experiences.  
  
"You understand me. I know you do. So why the hell don't you want to be friends?"  
  
Sara got up and walked right in front of him, so that he couldn't leave.  
  
"Answer me! And for Christ's sake, look at me!"  
  
Ian's own confusion and pent up anger finally gave way. He looked down to her.  
  
"Sara, do you really want to know why? Here's why: Through all this, my feelings surpassed that of friendship and are now in a place that I have never known existed. As you said yourself, I understand you! And you are correct in saying I had no chance to have friends or any other types of relation, for that matter! So the place I am in is not unusual, but I have no idea how to go about it! And to settle for friendship would be an insult to me to the fact this is beyond it!"  
  
"What the hell is that suppose to mean?!"  
  
"It means I am in love with you!"  
  
"What?" She was expecting many answers, but not that one. Both of their tempers were now sub-dude.  
  
"I am in love with you. There, it's been said and done." He left her apartment and left Sara in a state of utter confusion.  
  
"What the hell just happened?"  
  
-Next day-  
  
"Okay, Pez. What's bothering you?" Sara looked up from her desk.  
  
"What makes you think something is bothering me, Danny?"  
  
"Well, besides the fact you are staring into the abyss and you haven't had any coffee, we haven't traded barbs all day. So spill."  
  
Sara sighed and then related the happenings of the night before, making sure to leave out Irons and the visions.  
  
"Whoa! So you're telling me that the same assassin that tried to kill me is an old pal of yours and now says he's in love with you? Pez, you should write soap operas."  
  
"Yeah, sure as hell pays more than this."  
  
"So, how do you feel about him?"  
  
"Not sure. On one hand, he's an assassin. On the other."  
  
"He's in love with you. Doesn't he get points for that?"  
  
"He also tried to bury you alive. How many points is that worth?"  
  
"Yeah, but if you want the truth, it was more of that gothic chick than him. Besides, didn't you all ready tell me he helped you find me?"  
  
"Cryptic as he is, yes."  
  
"I bet you like him and you're just holding out."  
  
"And I bet he bit your neck and is controlling you to defend him."  
  
Danny pulled down his turtleneck. "No marks." Just then, the phone rang. He answered.  
  
"Yeah? Wait a second." He turned to Sara. "Mina, it's Dracula."  
  
"Hilarious." She grabbed the phone from him. "What do you want, Nottingham?"  
  
"To have closure to our discussion; can you meet me in the precinct?"  
  
She glanced at her clock. "Yeah, just a minute." She hung up and grabbed her coat.  
  
"So he's thirsty?"  
  
"No, wants me to help him on his next plan to kill you. I'll be back."  
  
She was gone before Danny could make any remarks.  
  
Eli: I wonder what they have to discuss. For all those who don't know, Mina is one of Dracula's victims. Lovely couple;) 


	5. Reasons why

Eli: I am now slowly recovering from writers block. It took many hours of watching "Pride and Prejudice" and "Strictly Ballroom" to finally knock the wall over. I now present (finally) chap five. Enjoy.  
  
Sara found Ian leaning against a wall. He got up the minute he saw her. "Sara."  
  
"Nottingham. So what surprising message do you have for me?"  
  
"Nothing to top what I related to you last night. First, I would like to apologize for getting angry with you."  
  
"You didn't need to apologize, but since you did, I accept your apology."  
  
"Second of all, I want you to know that how I feel about you has not changed, nor will it."  
  
"I still have no clue how you came to have those feelings. Nottingham." She looked back at him. "You barely know me. How the hell can you be in love with me?"  
  
"Why do you find it so hard to believe? What reason would I have to lie to you?"  
  
"None that I can think of, but still."  
  
"I can try to relate to you how I came to feel this for you, but words might fail me. Should I try to relate it to you?"  
  
Sara shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, why not?"  
  
"I was under orders to watch you two months prior to your finding of the witchblade."  
  
"Yeah, I noticed."  
  
"With all my observations of you, I saw things not found all in one person: Compassion, strength, bravery, intelligence, grace, life, happiness, loyalty...." Sara put her hand over his mouth to get him to stop. "I'm not all those things." Ian moved away from her.  
  
"But you are! That and so much more! You are perfect in everyway possible. I have known that since I first met you all those years ago, and to see you now is almost beyond comprehension." Sara got confused "What do you mean beyond comprehension?"  
  
"You are so perfect to behold that I know no words that could rise up to the occasion to describe you."  
  
"You said you have no reason to lie to me, yet you're still lying."  
  
"I am not lying! Why can't you understand?"  
  
"I understand that you love me for things I'm not. I'm not perfect. Get out more and you'll see that."  
  
"I've been out and I've seen what they call perfect. I don't care what they have to say on the matter! To me, you are perfect. Do you believe me?" He and Sara stared at each other for a long time. "Do you believe me, Sara?"  
  
Sara was trapped by his gaze. His brown eyes were pleading with her to believe him. She looked away and shook her head. "No, I don't believe you. You're only saying these things to confuse me. I can't take it." She walked away from him and started back towards her office. "Just leave me alone."  
  
-Back at her office-  
  
Sara collapsed into her chair and put her head back.  
  
"Whoa, Pez. What the hell happened?"  
  
"He tried to explain why he is in love with me."  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"He said I was perfect and that he's thought that ever since he met me. That means he has thought that since he was about seven!"  
  
"So it developed from a little kid crush and has lasted for about 25 years? Damn, he's got it bad. So what did you say to him about it?"  
  
"I told him I didn't believe him and to leave me alone."  
  
"You what!?!"  
  
"What? What the hell was I suppose to do?"  
  
"Well, not that. Why don't you believe him?"  
  
"He thinks I'm perfect."  
  
"So?"  
  
"I'm not perfect. He says he loves me because I'm perfect. It's based off a lie."  
  
"Sara, we all see perfect differently. I find my wife absolutely perfect and I know for a fact many don't see her that way, but just because she isn't perfect to others doesn't mean that I don't see her that way."  
  
"I know all of our perception is different, it's just...What he said confused me, okay? I panicked."  
  
"Confusion tolerance, Sara. Think about what you have just done. You just told a guy who is head over heels in love with you that you want him to stay away from you and worst off; you told him you don't believe him. Do you believe him?"  
  
Sara sighed. "Yes." The thought of her actions finally kicked in. "Oh God! What the hell did I just do?"  
  
"The stupidest thing I have ever seen you do."  
  
"I think I've destroyed him."  
  
"There's only one way to find out. You're gonna have to talk to him."  
  
"Yeah. I owe him that." She leaned on the desk and out her head in her hands. "My God! I can't believe I did something like that." Danny put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Hey, we all do stupid things. Hopefully, you can stop him from killing himself over it. You should call him now."  
  
"Don't have his number."  
  
"Then how are you gonna talk to him?"  
  
"If I am lucky, he'll be where he has been every night for almost 3 months."  
  
"Where's that?"  
  
"The fire escape outside my window."  
  
"Rejoiced as I am that I've talked you into talking to him, I have to ask: Your fire escape?"  
  
"Another time my wise, Asian master. I need to get this work done so I can head home."  
  
"All right, but tomorrow your under interrogation for details."  
  
"Deal."  
  
Eli: So you can tell I have been watching too many romantic movies. What is wrong with me? I need to watch some violence. Why didn't I tape Consectatio or Thanatopsis? 


	6. She loves me not

Eli: Hi. No, I'm not neglecting this story. I just had more inspiration towards my other story, but now I know what to do with this story. Enjoy.  
  
Sara rushed up the steps to her loft and opened the door. "Just be here." She said to herself. She went to her room and looked out the window.  
  
He wasn't there.  
  
"Damn it! The one night I actually need him here and he's not!" Sara sat on her bed and began to cry. "Where the hell is he!?" She turned and noticed that the picture of the black dragon he had given her was unfolded and lying on her pillow. She picked it up and found that on the back was a new message.  
  
To Sara,  
  
After our conversation, I have come to the conclusion that your life would be a lot simpler without someone unwanted following your every move. So I will listen to your request. I have even decided to take it a bit further than you probably wanted. Without you, I have no reason to live anyway. I thought that with my freedom I could now bring my dreams to life, but I was greatly mistaken. With the last of hope in me, I write this to you: If you have somehow changed your view on things, then meet me in the place where Shepard met Shepard. If not, then you shall have a new case waiting for you tomorrow. I love you, Sara. I promise that will never change, no matter the outcome.  
  
Truthfully,  
  
Ian Nottingham  
  
"Oh, God! He's going to... I can't let him!" Sara tried to pull herself together. "But where? 'Shepard met Shepard'?" The witchblade came to life on Sara's wrist. Sara could see them back when they first met.  
  
"Do you want to be my friend, Ian?"  
  
"Yes, I do. And you can be my friend."  
  
Sara came back to reality. "The store." And with that, she was off.  
  
-At the store-  
  
It had been abandoned for years. The only things in the room were an old counter, which he was sitting on, and a c.d. player he had brought with him. He had waited for 4 hours now, and still no sign of her. He knew she had gotten the note by now. He shrugged his shoulders. "She isn't coming." It was at the last song. The final song.  
  
When I see her eyes, look into my eyes.  
  
Then I realize that she can see inside my head.  
  
So I close my eyes, thinking that I could hide.  
  
Disassociate so I don't have to lose my head.  
  
"It's time." Ian got off the counter and pulled his sword out. He aimed it at his chest.  
  
The situation  
  
Is to agitation.  
  
If she cut me off  
  
Would this be amputation?  
  
Sara stopped her bike ten feet from the store. There were no lights, but she could hear loud music streaming from the store. She jumped off her bike and ran towards the store.  
  
I don't know if I care.  
  
I'm the jerk, life's not fair.  
  
Fighting all the time, this is out of line.  
  
She loves me not, loves me not.  
  
Ian began to thrust the blade at himself.  
  
Do you realize?  
  
I won't compromise.  
  
She loves me not,  
  
Loves me not.  
  
Sara almost ripped the door from its place. "Ian!"  
  
  
  
Eli: Did she save him, or did she not? Is he dead or almost there? Thanks to Papa Roach. 


	7. Saving souls

Eli: I will torment you no longer. I didn't know what to do. Originally, chap. 6 was going to be a sappy ending, but then I got into a bad mood and decided to take it out on poor Ian. I am shamed by my actions. Forgive me and read on.  
  
The witchblade transformed and clashed with Ian's sword. The sword flew from his hands and crashed onto the c.d. player. "Sara."  
  
"Ian."  
  
The two stared at each other for a long time. Ian had a hole through his clothes, but that was as far as the sword had gone. Sara was relieved to see he wasn't injured. She began to walk towards him.  
  
"Sara, I...." But no more words came through his mouth. Sara was right in front of him. He expected her to scream at him, but instead she put her arms around his neck and, unbelievably to him, was hugging him. Ian was shocked and the only thing he could do was hug her back. He stood there hugging her for what seemed like years. Finally, he heard her begin to cry.  
  
"What the hell were you doing?"  
  
"I didn't think you were coming."  
  
"So?! Why would you doing something like that?"  
  
"I wanted release."  
  
"From what?!"  
  
"Life."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because without you, I have no reason to be here."  
  
"Oh, God!" She tightened her grip on him. "Don't ever do that again!"  
  
"Do you have a reason for me not to?"  
  
"I believe you."  
  
"Do you really believe me?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"That you are not just saying this so that I don't attempt anything like this again."  
  
"I'm not. I believe that you love me. Is that a good enough reason?"  
  
"Yes." They finally let go of one another.  
  
"Interesting location."  
  
"This is the place where my life found meaning."  
  
"If it wasn't for the witchblade, you'd be... I wouldn't have found this place."  
  
"I was half hoping you wouldn't." Sara went back up to him and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Please don't say things like that." Ian pushed her away. "Please don't do things like that."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I can't stand you doing things like that and not... And not...." He sighed. "Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"How do you feel about me, Sara?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Ian slammed his fist on the counter out of frustration. "Do you even trust me?"  
  
"I trust you. It's just; I don't know how I should feel toward you."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I'm a cop, you're an assassin. I should be arresting you." Ian turned his back to her. She put her hand on his shoulder and forced him to face her. "But you're also the first friend I ever had. It's confusing for me. Could you just give me time to sort this all out?"  
  
"Yes. I have that now because of you."  
  
"It's late and I have to go home. You gonna be okay?"  
  
"Yes, I'll be fine. I'm leaving now, too." He walked her to her bike. Then, very unsuspectingly, Ian kissed her.  
  
"Good-night, Sara."  
  
"Good-night." Then they both left.  
  
-The next day-  
  
Sara walked into the office and Danny was all over her.  
  
"Interview starting now: What happened?" She related to him last night's events, again leaving out the witchblade.  
  
"Priceless. You sending in a story to 'Passions' or what?"  
  
"No, writers block."  
  
"So, have you figured it out yet?"  
  
"Figured what out yet?"  
  
"How you feel towards him."  
  
"No."  
  
"I think you have and that you like him."  
  
"What makes you say that?!"  
  
"Because you've been smiling since you got here and haven't had any coffee yet."  
  
"I have not been smiling since I got here and I had coffee before I left."  
  
"How many cups?"  
  
"One."  
  
"I rest my case." Danny reclined in his chair. "And by the way, you're still smiling."  
  
"Shut-up and let me do my paper work."  
  
"As you wish, Elizabeth."  
  
"Elizabeth?"  
  
"Ever read 'Pride and Prejudice'?"  
  
"In high school, yeah."  
  
"Remember the whole Elizabeth/Darcy thing?"  
  
"Yeah, she originally hated the guy and then fell for him in the end." Danny gave her a mischievous smile as she finally understood the comment.  
  
"Stop comparing my life to books! It isn't like that."  
  
"Yeah, whatever."  
  
"You're lucky we're surrounded by cops."  
  
"I know."  
  
Eli: Like I could kill my favorite stalker. Sara has to make up her mind. Continued. 


	8. Comics Make the World Go Round

Eli: God, this story is getting hard for me to write. Writer's block needs to go away permanently! If you like this chapter, review and tell me so.  
  
-2 weeks later-  
  
Sara walked into her apartment. It would have been a good day except the fact Dante had bee breathing down her neck all day long. She was highly tempted to activate the witchblade and thrust it into his chest where a heart is supposed to be.  
  
She hung up her jacket and was about to go into her bedroom when she noticed a bunch of papers lying on the ground in front of her bedroom door. She bent down to pick them up and took a closer look. Then, she started to laugh. They were hand drawn pictures of Dante, which included one of him in an Easter bunny suit. Another one was him in a bright pink tutu. She was on the ground cracking up. The last piece of paper was a note addressed to her.  
  
Sara,  
  
I saw Dante making your life hell, so I thought you could use something to make you laugh. An additional use would be to make copies and pass them out at work. I'm sure he would fall desperately in love with you for doing so. Hope you feel better.  
  
Ian  
  
"Oh my God. I need to thank him." She went to the window to motion him to come in from the fire escape. She was surprised not to see him there, and then hit herself on the head. "Duh, Sara. He doesn't stalk you anymore." She picked up her phone and dialed up his cell phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Ian."  
  
"Sara."  
  
"I got your pictures."  
  
"What did you think of them?"  
  
"Beautiful, and I will take your advice and pass them out tomorrow."  
  
"If Dante sees them, tell him the tutu makes him look fat for me."  
  
"That I will. So, whatcha doin'?  
  
"Reading."  
  
"What are you reading?"  
  
"Nothing you would be interested in."  
  
"Try me."  
  
"I don't want to."  
  
"C'mon Ian, what are you reading?"  
  
"Nightwing"  
  
"Nightwing? Isn't that a comic book?"  
  
"No. It's a graphic novel."  
  
"Isn't a graphic novel a type of comic book?"  
  
"Well, yes, but it's longer." He could hear Sara cracking up on the other end of the line. "What?"  
  
"You read comics!"  
  
"So!?"  
  
"Mr. Bad ass, gothic, assassin Ian Nottingham reads comics!"  
  
"Okay, first of all, I'm not gothic. I don't go around wearing black lipstick and eye liner talking about how much I would like to kill Britney Speares."  
  
"Well, I agree about the Britney Speares thing. And you don't go around in the make up, but what about your nails?"  
  
"That's not the same thing and you know it! Okay, second of all, I'm not an assassin anymore."  
  
"Okay, but still, you read comics!"  
  
"Lots of adults read comics!"  
  
"Name one."  
  
"Danny reads comics in his office when you're not around."  
  
"No he doesn't."  
  
"Yes he does. Tomorrow, check out the second drawer of his desk."  
  
"I will. I'm going to bed. I'll call you tomorrow to tell you what a liar you are."  
  
"All right. I'll be waiting for your call of confirmation that I am right."  
  
"You're an egotistic bastard."  
  
"And you're an untrusting shrew. Now get off the phone and let me finish reading."  
  
"Fine, bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
-Next day at the office-  
  
"Hey, Pez! You want some coffee?"  
  
"Yeah, Danny. Thanks."  
  
"I'll be back." After he left, Sara went to Danny's desk and opened up the drawer. Nothing. "Ha, stupid ex-assassin." Right then, her cell went off.  
  
"Pezzini."  
  
""Hi Sara. You're looking in the wrong drawer."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Try the second drawer on the other side." Sara opened it to find an issue of Tomb Raider. "Oh God!"  
  
"Told you so." Sara looked out the window trying to spot him.  
  
"Why are you suddenly stalking me again?"  
  
"I'm not. Just wanted to see the look on your face when you found the comic. I'll see you later. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
"Hey, Sara. Here's your coffee."  
  
"Thanks, Danny." She slightly giggled.  
  
"What is so interesting in my desk that you would go through it in secret?"  
  
"This." She pulled out the issue of Tomb Raider.  
  
"Hey, give that back." He made a grab for the comic. Sara moved out of the way in time.  
  
"Ahhhhhh. Does wise Asian master want his comic book back?"  
  
"Yes he does. Now give it back." Jake came in.  
  
"Hey, guys. What's that?"  
  
"Danny's comic book."  
  
"Comic book?"  
  
"It's Tomb Raider!"  
  
"Oh, it is? Which issue?"  
  
"The new one for this month."  
  
"Oh! Let me read it when you're done."  
  
"All right." Sara gave Jake a confused/shocked look. He shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"What? Lara Croft is hot!"  
  
"You guys are perverted!"  
  
"No, that's Jake. I read it for the plot."  
  
"Yeah, Danny, whatever. So what do you want, Rookie?"  
  
"Did you guys see the pictures goin' around?" Sara put on the most innocent face she could muster. "What pictures?"  
  
"These pictures." He held up the copies of Ian's drawings. Sara started to crack up, again.  
  
"What are those? Is that?"  
  
"Yes, it is. He's furious. He's trying to snag all the copies."  
  
"Well, snag me and Sara a few, will you?"  
  
"Yeah sure. See ya." Jake walked out of the office laughing. Danny shut the door behind him.  
  
"Pez?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You put out those pictures, didn't you?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"I know you did."  
  
"Fine. Guilty as charged."  
  
"They're great. Where did you get them?"  
  
"No where."  
  
"Oh come on, these are really good. Where did you get them?"  
  
"Nottingham."  
  
"Nottingham?"  
  
"He saw Dante giving me a bad time, so he drew me these to cheer me up."  
  
"I like his work."  
  
"He did something right."  
  
"You still indecisive?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You haven't made up your mind about him yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Which way are you leaning towards?"  
  
"None of your business."  
  
"You like him! I knew it!"  
  
"I never admitted anything!"  
  
"You don't have to. I can tell! C'mon Sara, admit it!"  
  
"All right! I like him. Is that good enough? Can I get back to work?"  
  
"Yeah, that's good enough. And Sara?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Can I have my comic book back?"  
  
"Sure." She tossed him his comic.  
  
"Careful. It's a collectable."  
  
"Yeah, whatever."  
  
Eli: Finally, I got enough inspiration to write. Oh and Nightwing isn't a graphic novel, it's a comic. And I apologize to any Goths who read this and got insulted by Ian and Sara's comments. Besides, It's a fanfic. 


	9. Just a Friend

Eli: Hi all. I knew I could trust the tutu. The situation here is the same with TOTH . Meaning no spell check on this computer. Still have writer's block when it comes to this story, but I will do my best. Enjoy.  
  
-That night-  
  
Sara finally decided to clean out some of the junk that had been piling in her closet. Most of it was cloths, but there were a few boxes she hadn't been through since she had moved in five years ago. "I hope nothing is molded or moth eaten."  
  
She went through the boxes one by one, taking time to examine all the objects that they held. Finally, she got to the last box, which held some of her better memmories of childhood. There were some stuff animals, some books, a baseball glove, and a program to a christmas play she had been in. At the very bottom of the box, she noticed a plastic bag lying face down. She picked it up and looked inside.  
  
It was filled with comic boooks. Sara started to laugh as she went through them. They were old copies of Batman and X-men. "I forgot I use to read these. I originally must of had tons of these." She sat down on her bed and looked through each one. She couldn't stop smiling. "I'm as bad as Ian. I forgot how much I use to love these." After Sara finished reading the last one, she began to laugh at herself. "What am I going to do with all these comics?" Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. "Perfect." Sara picked up her phone and dialed.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Ian!"  
  
"Sara? What?"  
  
"Come over."  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"It's late."  
  
"So? I have tomorrow off. C'mon, I have something for you."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Come over and you'll find out."  
  
"All right, I will be there in a few minutes."  
  
"Good. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
-Later-  
  
"Okay, why was I summonded?"  
  
"I have something for you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Here." She handed him the comics. "Do you read either of these?"  
  
"I read both. Sara, these are rare! How did you get these?!"  
  
"I use to read them when I was younger. My dad bought them for me and taught me how to read off of them. I don't have any use for them now, so I thought you might like them."  
  
"I love them and they would be a nice addition to my collection, but I can't accept them."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"They were from your father, you deserve to keep them."  
  
"I have lots of memories from him. I can let this one go. Think of it as a thanks for the pictures."  
  
"You don't own me anything for that. You sure you don't want to keep these?"  
  
"Nah, keep 'em. Besides, I'll enjoy making fun of you."  
  
"Making fun of what?"  
  
"You read comics!"  
  
"So did you!"  
  
"I was eight years old! You are thrity-two!"  
  
"So!? Danny's almost forty!"  
  
"You know, it scares me how much you know."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You know all this stuff about me and the people around me. How much do you know about me?"  
  
"Alot."  
  
"How much is alot?"  
  
"Let me put it this way, I know that you're do for your period in three days."  
  
"Oh my God. Now, that is scary! Get away from me!" She pushed Ian into the wall. In return, he grabbed both her wrist and pinned them behind her back. "Let go!"  
  
"Say mercy."  
  
"Never."  
  
"Say it."  
  
"No." He twisted her wrists further. "Say it."  
  
"No, and let go before I thrust this blade into your stomach."  
  
"You wouldn't, now say mercy!"  
  
"Fine! Mercy. Now let go."  
  
"I never said I would let you go if you said mercy."  
  
"Ian!"  
  
"All right." He released her. "Ian, that hurt!"  
  
"Oh, you'll live."  
  
"But you won't!" Sara struck him in the stomach.  
  
"Okay, now that hurt!"  
  
"Liar! You didn't even flinch!"  
  
"No, you hurt my feelings. I'm never talking to you again."  
  
"You brat!"  
  
"I know."  
  
"You talked to me!" He shrugged his shoulders. "So I lied."  
  
"I think you're human after all."  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
"So earthling, what were you doing before I invited you over?"  
  
"I was on the computer."  
  
"Doing what?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"What? You weren't downloading porn, were you?"  
  
"No! I wasn't doing anything like that!"  
  
"Then what were you doing?"  
  
"You'll make fun of me if I tell you."  
  
"So? That's what friends are for, now spill."  
  
"I was playing video games."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I was playing video games."  
  
"You were right. I am going to make fun of you."  
  
"Sara!"  
  
"Get over it. So, what game were you playing?"  
  
"Tomb Raider Chronicles."  
  
"Oh good God."  
  
"What?"  
  
"What is up with guys and Tomb Raider?"  
  
"Adventure."  
  
"So you don't just play it because you think she's hot?"  
  
"No, she's not my type."  
  
"Dare I ask what your type is?"  
  
"Sarcastic, green-eyed NYPD homicide detectives."  
  
"Yeah, you and Jake would be a cute couple."  
  
"That wasn't who I had in mind." He crossed over to Sara and put his hand on her shoulder. "Sara......"  
  
"Don't! We're fine the way things are."  
  
"I can't do this, Sara. I can't pretend anymore."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Sara, that isn't fair."  
  
"Are you sure about what you want?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Don't you think, that in the end, we would be better off like this?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I think you would prefer to be friends."  
  
"Sara, if I secretly prefer to be friends." He bent down and kissed her. "Then why does it feel so right when that happens?"  
  
"Ian, patience."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Time, I need it." Ian took a step back and nodded his head.  
  
"Then time you shall have. Bye, Sara."  
  
"Bye." And he left. Sara was still dazed from the kiss. She backed into the wall and sat down.  
  
"What the hell is happening to me?"  
  
Eli: Hi all. Question: Who would win the fight? Lara Croft or Sara Pezzini? I think Sara would. Agree? 


	10. Destiny Takes Too Long

Eli: Hi all! Sara would win. Ian would make sure of that. Here's another chap. And Jenileigh I'm sorry, but Ian is currently at my cousins house trying to prepare himself for a DDR tournament. We'll drop him off at your place for video games when we're through with him ;) Enjoy the chap.  
  
-Two days later-  
  
"Pez! Are you even listening to me?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You were staring out the window, again. What's up with you and the zoning out? You've been doing it for two days now!"  
  
"It's nothing. I just keep thinking about something."  
  
"You're thinking about Nottingham, aren't you? Did something happen?"  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"If it was nothing, then you wouldn't be acting all strange."  
  
"All right. He doesn't want to be just friends. He wants more than that, now."  
  
"So? Go for it."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Yes you can."  
  
"I don't want to."  
  
"Stop lying to yourself, Sara. Just admit it all ready, you have it bad for him."  
  
"I do not!"  
  
"Sara, there is only one time in my life I can remember acting like you are now."  
  
"When was that?"  
  
"Right after I met Lee."  
  
"But you were in love with her."  
  
"That was my point."  
  
"I'm not in love with him!"  
  
"Sara, you are impossible! I'm a guy and I can see that you've fallen for him!"  
  
"Just shut up!" Sara got up from her desk and paced their office trying to calm down."Sorry. I didn't mean that." She let out a sigh. "I'm going for a walk. I'll be back in a couple of minutes."  
  
"Yeah, go ahead." Sara left. Jake entered shortly after. "What's up with Pez lately?"  
  
"Confusion."  
  
"What is she so confused about?"  
  
"She has it bad for this guy, but is refusing to admit it, not even to him."  
  
"Whoa. She actually has a love life? Bet she scares the hell out of the dude."  
  
"Nah. Actually, he fell for her first."  
  
"What kind of dude falls for Pez?! He must be on drugs."  
  
"That shows how little you know about her."  
  
"Yeah, whatever. Here's your issue of Tomb Raider back. They killed Chase!"  
  
"I know! He was cool. He was a bad ass southerner."  
  
"Yeah, it sucks! I gotta go, see ya."  
  
"See ya." Danny sat back in his seat and started talking to himself.  
  
"I can't stand seeing Sara like this. If she doesn't get honest with herself soon, she's gonna lose him. And she won't be able to bear it. Damn, maybe I should write soaps and use the department as inspiration. Yeah, 'As the N.Y.P.D. arrest people'. He's gonna give up on her if he has no hope, and she's gonna be too late. I need to talk to this guy."  
  
Danny went over to Sara's desk and picked up her cell phone. "Please have his number in your memory." He browsed through it and thankfully found the number. He dialed up and waited for him to pick up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Notting...I mean Ian."  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
"This is Danny Woo. You tried to kill me once, remember."  
  
"Oh yeah. Sorry about that, I'm glad you survived. I'm not in that buissness anymore."  
  
"So Sara tells me."  
  
"Why are you calling me? Is something wrong with Sara?"  
  
"Yeah. Something's wrong."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I don't know if you've noticed, but she's kinda in love with you. She keeps zoning out cause she's thinking about you."  
  
"Okay, I know it wasn't a good idea to try to kill you and I apologize again, but you do not comprehend how much it hurts to be mocked like that. I probably deserve it, but I beg you to lay off."  
  
"No, serious. I'm not lying or trying to get your hopes up. I just want Sara to be happy. And if she's in love with an ex-assassin psycho who tried to kill me, I'll put things aside and help her get her man."  
  
"It sounds like you've forgiven me in my wrong doings toward you, if so I'm grateful. But you don't need to worry about the last part. Her man has been gotten. It's her man that needs to get her."  
  
"So I noticed."  
  
"Any ideas?"  
  
"Well first, I want to know how you feel about her."  
  
"I love her more than life itself."  
  
"Good answer. To the plan. I'm going to convince her to talk to you. When she talks to you, convince her you love her. If she's not going to admit anything unless she's totally sure about where your loyalties lie. And don't just up and leave her like you have a tendency to. Don't let her scare you. And don't be so cryptic and use all these fancy words. She'll feel like you think yourself too good and will just get pissed. Have patience and keep talking and it'll come out."  
  
"But what if she isn't.....isn't.."  
  
"In love with you? She is, trust me. I've known her a long time and she's never fallen this hard for a guy before."  
  
"All right."  
  
"Oh, and by the way: If you break her heart, I swear to God nothing will keep me from hunting you down and ripping you apart limb by limb with my bare hands."  
  
"Point taken. You won't have to worry about that. If I broke her heart, I'd do that to myself."  
  
"Okay, now I know you love her. I approve of the relationship. Just stop killing people."  
  
"I'm through with that. At least I can honestly say I never killed anyone innocent, you all most being an exception."  
  
"Why did you try to kill me?"  
  
"Orders I could not get out of."  
  
"Okay, I'm creeped out enough as to that. Sara said you read comics. Is it true?" He heard Ian groan on the other line.  
  
"How many people has she told that to?"  
  
"Just me. Do you have Tomb Raider 15# ?"  
  
"Yes, why? You want a copy?"  
  
"You have an extra?"  
  
"Yes, of course. I have an autographed copy, too. I'll send it to you."  
  
"Thank you. I deffinitely approve of you."  
  
"What would happen if you didn't?"  
  
"She wouldn't have given you a second thought."  
  
"Then I'm glad I have your approval."  
  
"Okay. I have to work on my side of the plan. Just get ready to have a talk with her."  
  
"All right. Thank you."  
  
"See ya"  
  
"Bye." Danny hung up Sara's cell and put it back on her desk. Danny sat back down at his desk and waited for Sara to get back.  
  
Eli: I could've continued, but what's the fun of that? Can you wait another week or so for a new chapter? Or would you prefer one a.s.a.p.? Tell my muses now, or they might go on vacation. See ya's. 


	11. Matchmaker Lends a Hand

Eli: Hi! My friend found one of my muses sneaking cheese from her house, so she sent it back here. Chocoloate doesn't work, it has to be cheese. Damn, they're picky. And Danny isn't the onlt yenta acting up. Well, here's a new chap. Oh, one thing; Can't you hear this song in there backround?: Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match. Buy me a buy. Catch me a catch. Matchmaker, matchmaker, look through your book, and find me the perfect match.  
  
  
  
"All right, I'm back."  
  
"Sara, listen....."  
  
"And I came back too soon." She turned to leave again.  
  
"Sara, wait! Just hear me out." Sara turned back and looked at him. She sighed and closed the door behind her.  
  
"Alright, alright. What's going on?"  
  
"Sara, you need to stop."  
  
"Stop what?"  
  
"Lying."  
  
"Lying? I'm not lying."  
  
"Okay, then repeat after me. I"  
  
"I"  
  
"Am not."  
  
"Am not."  
  
"In love with Nottingham."  
  
"In love with No....Now wait a minute! Why are you still on that?"  
  
"See!"  
  
"See what?"  
  
"You couldn't say it. You purposely changed the subject."  
  
"No, I didn't!"  
  
"Okay, then finish the sentence."  
  
"I am not in love... No! This is absoulutely ridiculous!"  
  
"No it's not! That's proof!"  
  
"Proof of what?"  
  
"Think long and hard. I'll be back in a minute." He got up and left. Sara sat back in her chair. "What the hell is going on?" She looked at the witchblade. "Can't you give me a bit of insight?" She felt a jolt on her arm as it wrapped itself closer onto her arm. Sara closed her eyes and went into a vision. She couldn't see, but could deffinitely hear.  
  
"And if I told you the truth, wielder, what would you do about it?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You have asked for my insight on your situation, so I will oblidge: You love him, Wielder. More than anything. Your connection is stronger, runs deeper, than any on this earth. Open you're eyes, Sara, to the truth."  
  
"I can't accept that!"  
  
"Wielder! Why are you so scared of your destiny?"  
  
"I can't......"  
  
"Can't what? Love? I am but a spirit of many and I have the capacity to do that."  
  
"If I accepted that, if I love him, then I'm giving up any chance I have to be normal."  
  
"Normal is vastly overated. Would you have prefered not to have this gift? It would have meant for you to lose your partner. It would have meant the witchblade to fall into the hands of a pretender. You not having control would end the world."  
  
"I never wanted any of this."  
  
"None will ever say they do."  
  
"I will never be normal. I will always be diferent, a....."  
  
"Freak? You were meant for the title." She could hear the witchblade laugh. "Don't act like the name should offend you. Be glad you are different, defined. You can not comprehend how many people would take your place in an instance. You envy them for being normal, and they evny you for your destiny, not to mention the dark knight that follows you around."  
  
"You actually approve of him?!"  
  
"As I always have."  
  
"I can't believe this! He tried to kill me! If I didn't have you to defend me, I would've died!"  
  
"Sara, you were never in any harm. He knew exactly what he was doing."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He let you win, Sara."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He's been training his whole life to be a warrior and he excells in it. Did you really think you could have deafeated him if he really wanted to end your life?"  
  
"Thank you for taking away any self esteem I had."  
  
"You're a wielder! Why should I lie to you with sugar coated words? You were made to take life's cruelty."  
  
"Thanks for the sympathy. Why did he let me win?"  
  
"You know that answer already. Why should I repeat it?"  
  
"He barely knew me. One confrontation when I was six and I have a permanent lover for the rest of my time."  
  
"A friend is forever."  
  
"I learned to make friends. Why didn't he?"  
  
"Irons. Do I really have to say anymore?"  
  
"One last thing."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Does he still love me?"  
  
"He couldn't stop himself if he tried. Time to open your eyes, Sara. Take care, wielder." Sara woke up.  
  
"Welcome back to reality, Pez. How do you feel?"  
  
"Guilty."  
  
"Guilty?"  
  
"For getting mad at you for making me see the truth."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
"You know the truth."  
  
"I just want to hear the fruit of all my matchmaking labors."  
  
"I love him. Good enough?"  
  
"Yes. So, when you gonna deliever the good news?"  
  
"Confession? Don't know."  
  
"You know, you have this miraculous little machine on your desk that lets you contact people over long distances. It's called a phone."  
  
"Smart ass." Sara picked up her cell and dialed.  
  
"Ian."  
  
"Sara?"  
  
"Yeah. Where are you right now?"  
  
"Public library."  
  
"Typical. How long you plan on staying?"  
  
"Haven't yet decided."  
  
"I need to talk to you. Could you stick around for a while?"  
  
"How long would be a while?"  
  
"Let me check. I'll be back." Sara placed the phone on her desk and turned to Danny. "I'm gonna see if Dante will let me leave early." She dashed out. Danny watched her go then picked up the phone.  
  
"Ian, you still there?"  
  
"Danny?"  
  
"Yeah. Am I good or what?"  
  
"I owe you."  
  
"The comic will do nicely."  
  
"What does she want to talk to me about?"  
  
"Take a wild guess and keep your fingers crossed. She's realized it, but it's gonna take wild horses dragging her by the tongue across the Sahara to get her to admit it."  
  
"Very vivid image. I'll do my best."  
  
"You do that. Damn, she's back." Danny placed the phone back on the desk. He then grabbed a comic and pretended to be reading. Sara picked up the phone.  
  
"I'll be there in one hour. Just have to finish paper work."  
  
"I'll see you then."  
  
"Yeah. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
-Later-  
  
"Done!" Sara put away her paper work. Danny got up and passed her her jacket. She gave him a hug.  
  
"Thank you wise Asian master. I don't know how I'll pay you back."  
  
"I do!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Let me be best man at the wedding."  
  
"You are a riot! See ya."  
  
"You go girl. Bye."  
  
  
  
Eli: I'm too destressed to write a chapter that would do the couple justice. Maybe in a month or two? 


	12. Pride, Prejudice, and a Library

Eli: I write this now to feel better. I beheld Gabriel and Sara kissing and it was not pretty. I also beheld Ian kissing some chick that looks like Sara. I threw a tantrum. I broke things. It took an hour of talking to my friend to chill out. I'm obsessed, so what can you do? Write. Jeniliegh, I don't know. I'm not certain that you wouldn't knock Sara out while they were at the altar, but we'll see. This story was fun as hell to write. (Yes, this is the final chapter) I hope you all enjoyed it. I need to finish this story. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
Sara entered the library. She expected Ian to be waiting for her in the front, but surprisingly was not. She looked around the first floor and didn't spot him. Then she spotted a trace of black on the stairs from the corner of her eye. She turned, but he was gone. She smiled and raced up to the second floor.  
  
"Come out, come out where ever you are." Sara searched through the aisles. After about ten minutes she got tired of the game. "All right Ian, enough hide in seek for today." He stepped out opposite her on the other side of the aisle.  
  
"Are you sure now, Sara?" He moved again when she turned to look at him. She checked the aisle in front for him but to no luck.  
  
"Yes. I'm sure. Ollie, Ollie, Ox and free." She saw a flash of black move and turned back the aisle to see him. Again, nothing.  
  
Suddenly, Sara felt someone put an arm around her waist and pull her backwards toward them. She turned her head and found Ian looking at her with a smirk on his face. Sara couldn't help but laugh at him.  
  
"Hi Sara. Here." He took his other arm out from behind his back. He held a red rose infront of her face. "This is for you."  
  
"Cute. Scary, stalker-like, but cute. Thanks." She took the rose from him.  
  
"Any time." He let go of her and moved infront of her. "So, what do we have to converse about?"  
  
"Something of your intrest."  
  
"If it includes the words 'I just want to be friends', forget it."  
  
"It doesn't." Ian smiled and put his hand through her hair.  
  
"So what does it include?"  
  
"Us."  
  
"What about us?"  
  
"I......I...." Sara wanted despretely to say what was on her mind. "I....." Finally, she just sighed and shook her head. "Never mind."  
  
"No, Sara." Ian took her hand. "You don't have to be scared."  
  
"I'm not scared."  
  
"Then say what you were going to say."  
  
"Nah, it wasn't anything important."  
  
"Not to you, maybe." He raised her hand to his lips and gave her hand a kiss. Then he held tight to her hand and went down on one knee.  
  
"Sara, I love you. I will always love you. You never need to doubt that for a second. If you're scared that I don't care, then you are mistaken. Now." Ian got up and withdrew a book from his pocket. Pride and Prejudice. "I qoute and in places make this my own: Sara, you are too good to triffle with me, if your feelings have not changed, then tell me so at once. My feelings and wishes are unchanged, but one word on this subject will silence me forever." Sara could feel tears coming to her eyes.  
  
"So, Sara, what do you say?" Sara wiped her eyes and smiled. "I love you, too." Ian smiled along with her. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.  
  
"Excuse me, but the library is closing. You two will have to leave." The old woman hated to seperate them, but it was needed. Ian and Sara stopped kissing and started to laugh. "We'll be leaving, now. But could you put this away?" Ian passed her back the copy of Pride and Prejudice. The lady accepted it and walked away to put it in its place again.  
  
"So, my love, shall we?" She took his hand. "Let's go." And they left the library hand in hand, soul in soul, and heart in heart.  
  
The End  
  
Eli:All right.The Pride and Prejudice thing came from my memory of the movie, so no Austen fans bug me. Now that I'm done, one question remains: How did everyone enjoy it? Final call for reviews. Love ya guys. See ya! 


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